Orlando music blog & zine

Tag: Priest

The sonic whirlwinds of PRIEST came to fruition at the release of last year’s self-titled debut album. Nine beautiful songs became a cohesive project full of large, wispy sounds and Madeline Priest’s gleaming vocals. Repeat listens become second nature, as each memorable melody slowly works it way into your brain and out your larynx.

One of my favorite songs from Priest was “White Nights.” The song enters with subtle coolness; the snappy drums, brain-frying synths, and disco-tinged guitar all build into a dark swagger. Madeline’s verses are so light and silky. The whole thing oozes mystery like a James Bond theme, a thread captured in the track’s video. Pinks, purples, and light blues encapsulate my computer screen as I am shown hundreds of angles of Madeline and the band’s instrumental backbone, David Kazyk. Many different Madelines sway back-and-forth. She appears as a modern day Nico, impossible to take your eyes off of.

WEDNESDAY

Punk On The Patio

The brain child of Marshal Rones, booker at Foundations Presents and commissioner of Olde 64’s free Monday shows, Punk On The Patio is a soon-to-be monthly series of local bands (not just punk), playing to the open air nightclub, The Patio. Oxygen lovers rejoice! Your time is now!

This first installment features three bands, none of which fit the “punk” label to a safety pin point, but all whom possess the snotty grit associated with the culture. Out Go The Lights, possibly the furthest from punk, use harsh winds of technically tight noise to create sound cyclones. Slumberjack are a noisy two-piece with the voice of hundreds. And Flashlights~~ Prepared to get pounded. They’ll be your closers, spewing fuzzy vomit into the open air like very clean cat. Good thing this show is outside; I’m not sure four walls could handle it.

THURSDAY

Judging by the Cover

In 2015, Time Waste Management, a non-profit dedicated to empowering local artists, opened the doors to their A Place Gallery. The space was gutted and turned into a pristine venue for paintings, book releases, and performance art. On January 7 and 9, it will house a festival of zines from the likes of Bad Anime, Is It Over Yet?, Late to the Party, So Evolved, and Tittie-Thyme. Additional zines will be out for patrons via TWM’s own zine library.

If you’ve yet to experience Orlando’s zine community, take this opportunity to dive right in.

Priest, Saskatchewan, & Day Joy

For some stupid reason, I haven’t seen Priest yet … and that’s stupid. Their blissfully atmospheric self-tiled debut was the soundtrack to many dreary, and just generally emotive, drives. The synthpop twosome are sharing The Social’s stage with fellow auditory meteorologists, Saskatchewan and Day Joy.

The former makes bipolar indie pop that could radiate the best day of your life, or mark the crypt of your grave. The voice of Chandler Strang can go from an smooth to haunting within the confines of one song, furthering these two emotional opposites.

The latter also shines, but in a more personal way. Day Joy’s folk-influenced shoegaze brings the clouds back to earth, fogging genres. I can firmly say that you should not miss one out of the three of these bands. GoOd ViBeS coming ur way~~

SATURDAY

Body//Talk: Island Science & Someday River

The B//T DJs you met that one time at a party, but love to dance to, are teaming up with two mint Orlando bands — one old, one new — to curdle The Milk District until dawn — probably until more like two in the morning.

Someday River (formerly Bellows) are the vets. They’ve seen da shit and are pros at live performances. I’m pretty sure new music is coming in 2016, so stay close children; Uncle Someday River is coming to tell you about his military days.

The three fresh, young faces of Island Science’s members are playing live for the first time on Saturday. They’ve released a slew of singles (find two of them here and here), which is brilliant, because they already feel like a band I know. I have no idea what their set will bring, but I’m eager to see the poppy trio prove themselves to a Body//Talk crowd.

MONDAY

Ladies in Experimental Music

The musical product brought by one person is oftentimes surprising. The task of building large, multi-layered song structures by yourself is no easy feat, akin to an artist painting live. Monday at The Space Station, a crowd will see three ladies attempt to string instruments together and entertain. What makes this opportunity even more interesting is that many of these “instruments” aren’t the traditional ones we’re used to.

New York City touring artist Alexa Dexa uses toy pianos and bells as her tools. Orlando’s Tiger Fawn chooses to loop the pounding animal bones and finger-sized cymbals. The third of these musketeers, Renee is a Zombie, also incorporates looping technology, but uses accordion and classical guitar as her paints. Each of these artists appears raw before their audience, who are expecting more than your everyday singer-songwriter. I seriously doubt they will disappoint.

Orlando duo Priest has made the most of the first few months of 2015. In February, they dumped their Xs – in the past their name was stylized, “X priest X” – and teased their upcoming, self-titled debut album (out 5/5) with the hazy bliss pop gem, “The Game.” The song really propelled the duo to a whole new audience, and I’m glad an Orlando act is seeing well-deserved success.

Last week, we got another preview with “Broken.” Here, vocalist Madeline Priest grieves over the hungover disco beats of David Kazyk. Priest’s glowing voice strolls steadily through the verses, adding to the eery tone that bursts into chorus. The instrumentals fluctuate between each chorus and verse, and it’s this progression that makes “Broken” an atmosphere worth driving through. Enjoy.